Franken hopes to be the Democratic senatorial candidate running for Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley s seat this November. Franken faces former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer and physician Glenn Hurst in the June 7 primary. Burlington Democrat Bob Krause has withdrawn from the race.
Krause needed 3,500 signatures, with at least 100 from a minimum of 19 counties, to appear on the primary ballot in June, but had only about 1,400 when the first signature packets were counted following the Feb. 7 midterm caucuses. Krause said the 2,100-signature shortfall was too great to meet.